Timer for internal-combustion engines



l. J. LAMB. TIMER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED OCLH. 19H- 1 3 1 0,4 85 Patented July 22, 1919.

l Hmmmum WITNESS.

f f I 40% (JJZWJ W Y BYQ 5 2 g ATTORN EYS INVENTOR J OHII' J. LAMB, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

TIMER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Application filed. October 8, 1917. Serial No. 195,450.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. LAMB, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Timers for InternaLCombustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In the operation of distributors for ignition systems of automobiles or of the timing device of the type in which the casing is rotatably mounted to advance or retard the spark, it is desirable that the parts be made to operate in such a manner as to be clear of oil and the like which is likely to accumulate and diminish the efliciency of contact and it is also desirable to have the parts so disposed that equal distribution of the circuits therefrom can be readily accomplished without the use of intricate Wiring.

This invention relates to a timer for the ignition system of an automobile and to an arrangement thereof which insures the proper operation and eliminates the possibilit of failure.

T e invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section of a distributor embodying features of the inventi0n Fig. 2 1s a view in cross section thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View in detail of means of coupling the main shaft of the distributor to the driving part of the motor.

As shown herein, a main casing 1 that is preferably cylindrical is mounted free to oscillate on the engine casing 15 and carries a series of fixed terminals or wiping blocks 2 that are preferably in the form of cylindrical segments secured on stems 3, each of which passes through an insulating bushing 4 and is secured by a nut 5 that is likewise of binding post type for the attachment of the necessary conductors. The segmental heads are arranged to lie each in the path of a movable contact or wiper point 6 that is projected against the outer annular flange 7 of a bushin 8 by a spring 9, the bushing being radial y mounted as 1n a boss 10 of a main stub shaft 11. The latter is counterbored axially at one end and is thereby screwthreaded on to a reduced ortion 12 of that shaft 18 of the motor whlch drives it, the enlarged bore permitting the sleeve or shaft 11 to extend Well over the driving part, and a cross pin 14 or the like maintaining the parts in proper position.

The several bushings 8 are so disposed as to produce the necessary contact with the fixed points or cylindrical segments 2. The shape of the Wiping point 6 may be as desired to produce the necessary duration of contact with the fixed terminal.

Obviously, changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do not care to limit myself to any particular form or arrangement of parts.

What I claim is 1. In timing distributors for internal combustion motors, a rotatable unit removably carried by a shaft of the motor, and an oscillatory unit having its axis of oscillation coincident with the shaft axis and forming a casing for the rotatable unit, said oscillatory unit including a plurality of spaced contacts havin their faces located on a plane extendin iametrically through the shaft, said rotating unit having a body portion detachably secured on and rotatable with the shaft and carrying a plurality of radially-extending projecting portions of substantially-equal projected length and corresponding in number and spacing to said contacts and being angularly-displaced relative to one another, eac projection hav ing a bore with a substantially-radial axis, and a yieldable contact element carried by each projection and extending into its bore,

whereby the spacing of the body-portion of the rotatable unit and the contacts of the oscillating unit will provide an air space through which the projecting portions sweep.

2. The combination with a shaft of an internal combustion engine having a reduced screw-threaded end portion, of a cylindrical oscillating casing in axial alinement with the shaft which extends through the end wall of the engine casing, a stub shaft counterbored at one end and secured to the screw-threaded portion of said engine shaft, a plurality of radial bushings spaced equidistant along and around the shaft each so cured to the counterbored shaft and provided with an inner annular flange at the outer end, a spring in each bushing, Wiper eaeh in the path of revolution oi a wiping points hwin spherical outer head s, eech polnt. 10 disposed in a ushing and having a shoulder In testimony whereof I affix my signature projected by a s ringin the*bushi ng outin the presence of two witnesses.

wai'dly agalnst t e annular flange thereof, JOHN J LAMB.

and a series of contact segments'secured in Witnesses:

alinement in the Wall of the casing in in- R. STIOKNEY,

sulased relation, onfl theisegments lying ANNA M. Donn.

Copies of thil patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

